The Griest Building, also known as the Lancaster Federal Building, William Walton Griest Building, and PP&L Building, is a historic skyscraper located at 8 N Queen St, Lancaster, PA. It was designed by noted Lancaster architect C. Emlen Urban and built 1924–1925. It is a steel frame building faced with granite, limestone, and terra cotta. The Griest Building is fourteen stories tall(192 feet) and each floor measures 66 feet by 55 feet, or 3,600 square feet. It was the tallest building in Lancaster from 1925 until 2009 and today is the second tallest building in Lancaster. Since 1925, the Griest Building has served as a testament to the unique cultural facets of the early 20th century. Named in honor of William Walton Griest, elected Republican to the 61st United States Congress and ten succeeding Congresses, Griest Building is a visually prominent signature of Lancaster’s historical past and growing future. Urban’s second major commission, Griest Building, echoes both Neo-Renaissance and Beaux-Arts themes. Small ornamental and detailed elements, as well as ornate cornices, contrast starkly with enormous vertical pillars, windows, and columns, evoking these motifs. The top of the building has a gray facade with elegant trim pieces, arching cornices, and adorned Corinthian-topped pillars, which is perhaps the main point of Urban’s design. The Griest Building now houses a number of businesses and offices. In 1995, the Griest Building was bought by Ecklin Development. The 12th floor, now office space, once housed a 300-seat auditorium with a green and gold frescoed ceiling. The building’s crown, the 12th, 13th, and 14th floors, decorated with glazed terra cotta arched pediments, dentils, curving brackets, balustrades, and even a lion’s-head cornice, the exterior of the crown is a well-proportioned and finely detailed example of Italian Renaissance architecture. A 53-foot tall tower was added to the top of the building in 1976. It has been included in the United States National Register of Historic Places. Since June 25, 1999, it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the exterior of the Griest building doesn’t reveal anything about the companies that are housed within. According to Jason Stauffer of Ecklin Development, which owns and rents the Griest Building, the lack of branding is purposeful. Because of the ancient history of the building, there is no signage on the outside to detract from the design. The bottom level is home to Shot & Bottle, a restaurant and bottle shop. The remaining levels of the building are largely leased as office space. The observation deck area provides breathtaking views of Lancaster, ensuring that your event is one to remember.

Click here to see an overview of the deck building services we offer near Lancaster.

Previous Article || Next Article